The present invention broadly relates to a new and improved method of, and an apparatus for, inserting or stuffing at least one insert or supplement or the like, into preferably folded printed products.
Generally speaking, the method of the present invention serves for inserting or stuffing at least one insert or supplement or the like into preferably folded printed products in which two respective printed products are conjointly advanced or fed along a processing path and in so doing are opened. Subsequently, one or more inserts or supplements are inserted between the portions or sections of the opened printed products which are separated from one another.
The apparatus of the present invention serves for inserting or stuffing at least one insert or supplement or the like into preferably folded printed products. This apparatus comprises advancing or conveying means for mutually advancing or feeding two printed products along a processing path, an opening device for opening the printed products during their advancement or feed, as well as at least one infeed device for inserting or stuffing an insert or supplement or the like between the separated portions or sections of the opened printed products.
A method and apparatus of this type is known from the Swiss patent publication No. 649,267 and the corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 4,416,448, granted Nov. 22, 1983. According to this prior art solution, in each case two printed products are simultaneously introduced into the radially extending compartments of a processing drum or cell wheel. This cell wheel is rotatably driven about its horizontal longitudinal axis.
The pairs of printed products are conjointly advanced or fed in the longitudinal direction of these compartments and are opened during this forward advancement. Both printed products conjointly repose upon one another with one of their side surfaces completely reposing upon the other during the entire forward product advance or displacement. Initially one of both of the printed products is opened while the other printed product remains closed. Subsequently, an insert or supplement is inserted into the opened printed product and now the other printed product is then opened and is then furnished with an insert or supplement.
Not only the opening of both printed products which are conjointly forwardly advanced or fed but also the insertion of the inserts or supplements into the respective opened printed product is accomplished sequentially. This requires a correspondingly long processing path, i.e. requires a correspondingly longer processing drum or cell wheel.